Isaac Schmidt has struggled to make an impact at Leeds United since his transfer from Swiss club St. Gallen. His difficult spell continued on Wednesday night when he was left out of the squad altogether.
Schmidt missed the match due to illness as Leeds secured a 2-0 victory over Millwall at Elland Road. His time at the club has been hampered by injuries throughout the 2024-25 season. The full-back, who cost Leeds £4.6 million in the summer, has made just nine appearances this season. Manager Daniel Farke has acknowledged that Schmidt is performing well in training but currently sits third in the pecking order.
The defender’s only two starts have come in the FA Cup, where he was a standout performer in the 2-0 defeat to Millwall in January. Despite his lack of game time at Leeds and not featuring in the Championship, Schmidt is reportedly set to receive a surprise call-up to the Swiss national team this month.
Swiss media outlet Blick reports that national team coach Murat Yakin is looking to experiment with his squad over the next two weeks, and Schmidt remains highly regarded in Switzerland due to his strong performances in his home country. Yakin is also considering calling up Leeds transfer target Alvyn Sanches, who has impressed with Lausanne.
Leeds have several players set for international duty during the March break. Wales will have Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, and Dan James in their squad, while Junior Firpo is set to travel to represent the Dominican Republic. Ao Tanaka has also been selected for Japan.
Meanwhile, Ilia Gruev is available for Bulgaria after missing previous international call-ups due to a four-month injury layoff. In contrast, Brenden Aaronson has been left out of the USA squad by head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Manor Solomon is expected to be called up by Israel, while Mateo Joseph and Wilfried Gnonto are set to feature for Spain and Italy’s U21 sides, respectively.
With many Leeds players heading off for international duty, others will remain at the club, using the break to recover and prepare for the remainder of the Championship season.